When graphic videos become viral, as well as the recent deadly shooting of Charlie Kirk, you may feel impossible to protect from seeing things you don’t consent to see. But there are steps you can take.
The social media platforms are designed to maximize involvement, not to protect the peace of your mind. Big platforms also have They reduced the attempts to moderate the content In the past year or so. This means that upset content can reach you even when you never chose to watch it.
You do not need to watch every piece of content that crosses your screen. Protecting your own mental state is not avoiding or refusing. As a researcher who Studies of compensating ways The negative effects of social media on mental health and prosperity, I believe, are one way to protect the zone range you need to remain committed, compassionate and effective.
Because it matters
Investigations show that repeated exposure to violent or Worrying means can Increase stress, increase stress and contribute to the feelings of weakness. These results are not only short -term. Over time, they erode the emotional resources you rely on to take care of yourself and others.
Protecting your attention is a form of care. Release your attention from harmful content is not withdrawal. Discover your most powerful creative power: your consciousness.
As with food, everything is intended to be on the table. You won’t eat something damaged or toxic just because it served you. In the same way, not every part of the media available in your flow is worth your attention. Choosing what to consume is a matter of health.
And while you can choose what you hold in your own kitchen cabinets, you often have less control over what occurs in your food. That is why it helps to take deliberate steps to filter, block and set the boundaries.
Practical steps you can receive
Fortunately, there are simple ways to reduce your chances of dealing with violent or annoying videos. Here are four I suggest:
- Turn off automatic deactivation or limit sensitive content. Note that these settings may vary depending on the device, operating system and applications and can be changed.
Use keyword filters. Most platforms allow you to erase or block specific words, phrases or hashtags. This reduces the likelihood that graphic or violent content slides in your flow.
Visit your flow. Unfollow accounts sharing regularly annoying images. Follow the accounts that bring you knowledge, connection or joy.
Set boundaries. Keep time without phone during meals or before bed. Investigations show that deliberate breaks Reduce stress and improve prosperity.
Screen Mode from conversation; Cc by-nd
Recover your service
Social media are not neutral. Its algorithms are designed to keep your attention, even when it means by enhancing harmful or impressive material. Monitoring passively serves only the interests of social media companies. Choosing your attention is a way to recover your service.
The desire to follow in real time can be strong, especially during the crisis. But the option not to watch any worrying picture is not neglect. It is self -preservation. Looking away protects your ability to act on purpose. When your attention is experimenting, your energy goes to shock and rage. When your attention is firm, you can choose where to invest it.
You’re not powerless. Any limit you set – whether it is disabling the automatic aspect, content filtering or to care for your flow – is a way to take control of what is entering your mind. These actions are the foundation to be able to connect with others, to help people and to work for substantial change.
More resources
I am the executive director of After the Internet ProjectA non -profit organization dedicated to helping people tour the psychological and social challenges of life on the internet. With my team, I designed the evidence Intervention to help people manage the use of their social media.
Us research program It highlights the alignment of service, intent and values as the keys for developing healthier media consumption. You can try the prism process for yourself with an online class that I start via Coursera in October 2025. You can find the lesson, values aligned with media consumption, searching for Annie Margaret at the University of Colorado Boulder In Coursera. The course is aimed at anyone 18 years of age and the videos are free to watch.
